• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.179-193
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• 1985

In order to find factors which are essential for the differentiation of chick embryonic myoblasts in culture, chick embryo extract was fractionated by ammonium sulfate or/and Sephadex G-75, and the effects of each fraction on the proliferation and fusion of the myoblasts were examined. The results obtained were as follows: (1) High concentration of embryo extract in the culture medium enhanced the cell proliferation and delayed the fusion of myoblasts. (2) The Sephadex G-75 fractions of embryo extract having proteins of molecular weight between 40,000 and 22,000 enhanced the proliferation and fusion of myoblasts when added to culture media. (3) The fraction of embryo extract precipitated in $60\\sim95%$ saturated ammonium sulfate solution enhanced evidently both the proliferation and fusion of myoblasts. Elution of this effective fraction by Sephadex G-75 showed similar elution profile and effects on the myoblast differentiation as those observed by Sephadex G-75 chromatography of the whole embryo extract, suggesting that the Sephadex fractions and ammonium sulfate fractions contain the same factors that enhance the proliferation and fusion of myoblasts.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2005

Our previous report demonstrated that chick myoblasts are equipped with $Ca^{2+}$-permeable stretchactivated channels and $Ca^{2+}-activated$ potassium channels ($K_{Ca}$), and that hyperpolarization-induced by $K_{Ca}$ channels provides driving force for $Ca^{2+}$ influx through the stretch-activated channels into the cells. Here, we showed that acetylcholine (ACh) also hyperpolarized the membrane of cultured chick myoblasts, suggesting that nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) may be another pathway for $Ca^{2+}$ influx. Under cell-attatched patch configuration, ACh increased the open probability of $K_{Ca}$ channels from 0.007 to 0.055 only when extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ was present. Nicotine, a nAChR agonist, increased the open probability of $K_{Ca}$ channels from 0.008 to 0.023, whereas muscarine failed to do so. Since the activity of $K_{Ca}$ channel is sensitive to intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level, nAChR seems to be capable of inducing $Ca^{2+}$ influx. Using the $Ca^{2+}$ imaging analysis, we were able to provide direct evidence that ACh induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx from extracellular solution, which was dramatically increased by valinomycin-mediated hyperpolarization. In addition, ACh hyperpolarized the membrane potential from $-12.5{\pm}3$ to $-31.2{\pm}5$ mV by generating the outward current through $K_{Ca}$ channels. These results suggest that activation of nAChR increases $Ca^{2+}$ influx, which activates $K_{Ca}$ channels, thereby hyperpolarizing the membrane potential in chick myoblasts.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 1988

A myotrophic protein that seemed to he eseentiai for the hision of chick embryonic myoblasts in culture was isolated from chick embryo extrad and was found to be identical or at least similar to the iron-transporting protein, transferrin. Embryo extract seemed to contain, in addition to this myotrophic protein, a heat stable protein that inhibits the fusion of myoblasts. Iron seemed to he necessary for myoblasts to fuse and it was supposed that the role of the myotrophic protein m myoblast fusion is to supply iron to the cell. The numher of the myotrophic protein receptors on myoblast surface membrane decreased immediately after the start of myoblast fusion, supposedly due to the decreased need of iron after the fusion once commenced. It was estimated that endocytosis of myotrophic protein took about 10 minutes and one recycling about 2 hours. The accumulation of iron in myoblasts continued linearly with cultre time and endocytosis of the myotrophic protein occured at a constant rate.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.483-489
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• 1995

Retinoic acid was found to block membrane fusion of chick embryonic myoblasts in culture. This effed was dosedependent and could he reversed upon removal of the agent from the culture medium. Furthermore, the retinoic acid-mediated inhibition of membrane fusion was observed with the fusion competent cells but not with the cells that had already been committed for fusion, indicating that the effect of RA is differentiation stage-specific. However, retinoic acid showed little or no effect on the ability of the cells to form bipolar shape and to align along their axes. Neither the cell proliferation nor accumulation of muscle specific proteins, such as creatine kinase and tropomyosin, was impaired significantly. On the other hand, retinoic acid blocked the differentiation time~ependent loss of fibronectin, whose process is prerequisite for myoblast fusion. These results suggest that retinoic add acts as a specific inhibitor of membrane fusion by preventing the loss of fibronectin from the differentiating myoblasts.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1994.10a
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• pp.175.1-175
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• 1994

No Abstract, See Full Text

• The Zoological Society Korea : Newsletter
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.109.1-109
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• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1995.10b
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• pp.245.1-245
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• 1995

No Abstract, See Full Text

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.294-306
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• 1986

In order to find out whether myoblast cells release into the culture medium any substances that induce or promote the fusion of myoblasts, chick embryonic myoblasts were cultured and the cultured medium (muscle-conditioned medium, MCM) was collected. The MCM was then added to the newly cultured myoblasts to examine if it has fusion-promoting activity. The MCM was also analyzed for its protein content before and after its addition to the second culture. The MCM apparently showed fusion-promoting activity when applied to unfused young myoblasts, suggesting that it contained substances that promote the fusion and that had been released from cells fo the previous culture. Analysis of proteins in the myoblasts and in the MCM suggested that the released protein was absorbed by or tightly bound to myoblasts of the second culture. One of the released proteins of about 175 kilodalton was degraded to a polypeptide of approximately 145 kilodalton, which appeared to act upon the membrane proteins of unfused myoblasts so as to stimulate their membrane to fuse with neighboring cells.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.166.1-166
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• 1996

No Abstract, See Full Text

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 1988

Alterations in the amount of fibronectin during chick myogenesis were investigated. The amount of fibronectin as measured by immunoblotting was found to decrease during the process. As a first step in answering the precise mode of change in the level of ibronedin during myogensis, the interaction of 28,000 dalton(28 kDa) amino terminal fragment of fibronectin as well as 85,000 dalton (85 kDa) fragrxient with myoblasts was examined. The specific binding of 125 l-28 kDa fragment to myoblasts was time-dependent and reached a maximum within 60 min. Unlabelled 28 kDa fragment inhibited the binding of 125 I-28 kDa fragment, whereas 85 kDa fragment containing adhesion promoting activity did not inhibit it. This finding suggests that the 28 kDa fragment interacts with the matrix assembly receptors but not with the cell adhesion receptors. Accordingly, the decrease in the level of fibronectin is likely to correlate with the fall of fibronectin receptors on the myoblasts.